According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, the United States has the highest prison population per capita in the world. In 2009, for example, 1 out of every 135 U.S. residents was incarcerated. Generally, inmates convicted of felony offenses serve long sentences in prison (e.g., federal or state prisons), whereas those convicted of misdemeanors receive shorter sentences to be served in jail (e.g., county jail). In either case, while awaiting trial, a suspect or accused may remain incarcerated. During his or her incarceration, an inmate may have opportunities to communicate with the outside world.
Controlled-environment facilities typically control and record information related to the various interactions, communications, and/or transactions involving the facilities' residents. For example, in a correctional facility (e.g., a prison or jail), such information may be collected and used for investigative purposes with respect to past, present, and future criminal activities. Accordingly, various exchanges of information, communication, money, goods, etc. may be recorded and stored in one or more electronic databases. Typically, each controlled-environment facility controls its own information database, which is generally not accessible by other facilities.
However, over the past several years, a sharp increase in the U.S. inmate population has not been followed by a proportional increase in the number of prison or jail staff. To the contrary, budget pressures in local, state, and federal governments have made it difficult for correctional facilities to maintain an adequate number of wardens, officers, and other administration personnel. Hence, many correctional facilities are often unable to perform investigations with respect to their own inmates.